November 2010 Meeting Minutes

70th Precinct Community Council
November 2010 Meeting Minutes

E-mail: 70PctCC@gmail.com
Blog: http://70PctCC.blogspot.com
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Wednesday, November 17th, 2010
7:30 PM
United Cerebral Palsy New York
175 Lawrence Avenue, Brooklyn, New York
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Officers Present

Ed Powell, President
Beverly Kilpatrick, Vice President
Rosanne Boland, Treasurer
Mary McRae, Secretary
Nathan Thompson, Assistant Secretary
Mavis Theodore, Sergeant At Arms

NYPD, Elected Officials & Other Guests

Inspector Ralph Monteforte, Commanding Officer
Captain Peter Venice, Executive Officer
Det. Dominick Scotto, Community Affairs
P.O. Kim Walker, Community Affairs
Lt. Jacqueline Bourne, Community Affairs
Council Member Mathieu Eugene
Council Member David Greenfield
Rev. Jean Beaulieu, Clergy Liason
Roz Sokol for Assembly Member Steven Cymbrowitz
Jonathan Judge for Community Board 14
Eli Slavin for Congresswoman Yvette Clarke
Ed Powell for Assembly Member Rhoda Jacobs
Pinny Ringel for Public Advocate Bill Diblasio
Ruben Lipkin, Senator Eric Adams


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The regular monthly meeting of the 70th Precinct Community Council was called to order at 7:41 p.m. President Ed Powell greeted all and invited everyone to join him in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. President Powell then acknowledged the various representatives of elected officials and other distinguished guests present at the meeting (see above).

President Powell announced that we would have a special guest speaker and encourage everyone to stick around because it would be important.

1. Message from Senator Eric Adam – Ruben Lipkin
On December 16th, 2010 at the Walt Whitman auditorium in Brooklyn College, Senator Adams is sponsoring a holiday musical, soul music concert. For tickets please call their office at 718.284.4700. It is a free concert but you have to have tickets. Also on December 18th there will be an Open House at 572 Flatbush Avenue between Midwood and Maple. It is their yearly open house for the entire community to come and meet the Senator and his staff. There will be music and food.



2. Message from Council Member Mathieu Eugene
The Council donated two million dollars to Kings County Hospital to buy state of the art technology and equipment to improve the quality of health services to the people of the community. Also funding was given to Downstate Medical Center and Maimonides Hospital. As a medical doctor, he believes that health is the most important and precious gift you can receive from God. He believes that we have an obligation to provide the best education for our children. It is the reason why he gave funding to all the schools in his district to have state of the art computer labs with smart screens and funding for after school programs. School District 22 is very crowded and he is working with the Board of Education to get a new school. He asked if anyone wanted to be part of the public forum. Please call his office. He spoke with the Board of Education and he would like the people of the community who have small construction businesses to become qualified as subcontractors. They have the skills; they can do the job but don’t have the requirements. What he wants to do is have the Board of Education train them, mentor and help them meet the necessary requirements to get subcontracts with the city. If you know of anyone in construction businesses please have them contact his office.

3. Message from Vice President Beverly Kilpatrick
Vice President Kilpatrick thanked the funding raising committee for coming to their first meeting. She introduced the committee:
Co-Chair, Chantel
Co-Chair for Large Donations, Joe
Co-Chair for Community Outreach, Giselle
Co-Chairs for P.R. and Event Planning, Eddie, Maureen and Tamika

Their first order is to help with the Christmas Party because it is coming up soon and they want to be prepared. Also coming up next year there might be a calendar for the officers of the 70th Precinct. She also asked if there would be more volunteers.

President Powell stated the fund raising committee is critical. To make sure that funds are available for the things the Council is doing and for new projects in the future.

4. Report from the Commanding Officer.
Commander Monteforte had a sad announcement regarding one of our crossing guards. On Glenwood and Flatbush one of our cross guards was struck by a car. He asked everyone to please say a prayer for her. He and Father Perry were at hospital with her the night before.

A community within the 70th Precinct has been named the safest neighborhood in New York City.

In the Midwood section, Bedford Avenue, 22nd to 26th Streets, Avenue I and K, there were no major crimes in those areas. We owe it to the people that live there, the Shomrim Safety Patrol, a volunteer based group who patrols the streets, and, of course, the officers of the 70th Precinct. He thanked everyone for making the 70th Precinct a safe place to live.

In honor of Detective Dillon Stewart, there will be an anniversary memorial service, Monday, November 29th, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at the New Life Tabernacle Church, 4905 Avenue D. That is where he grew up and it is the church that he grew up in. Commander Monteforte invited everyone to attend. When he was shot he went into cardiac arrest because he didn’t have enough blood. In his honor we will have a blood drive on Tuesday, November 30th in front of the precinct from 12:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. For everyone that donates blood, the New York City Widows Policeman Foundation will donate $10.00 to all the deceased officers who were killed in the line of duty.

5. Auxiliary of the Month
Auxiliary Police Officer Benjamin Grynsztajn

The Police Commissioner honored about 50 auxiliary officers. They chose officers from each of the boroughs and the long standing officers. Benjamin was chosen the best auxiliary officer in Brooklyn South. Auxiliary officers must volunteer at least 14 hours a month. Ben puts in 55 hours a week. Commander Monteforte thanked him for all the services he gives to the 70 and the whole community.

6. Cops of the Month
Police Officer Jason Greenberg
Police Officer Christopher Collyear
Police Officer Jason Rosciano
Sgt. Edward Kramer
Officer Phillip Monck

On Saturday, September 18th at 9:00 p.m. officers responded to a burglary in progress on Coney Island Avenue and Avenue O. The location was the other side of Coney Island Avenue where the 66th Precinct patrols. Our officers went into the 66th Precinct to handle a burglary in progress. Upon arrival the officers observed a naked man standing on the third floor ledge of his apartment building on Coney Island Avenue. He was emotionally disturbed and intoxicated. The officer gained entry into the apartment. The officers were able to grab the man before he jumped off the building and brought him inside to safety.

Sgt. Kramer was patrolling around Avenues K, L, and M when a young female gets out of her car coming home from work with her pocketbook in her hand. A male with a bandanna over his face walks up, punches the young lady in her face, removes her pocketbook and flees. People that saw what happened called 911. The officers chased the perpetrator but lost him. Sgt. Kramer gave a perimeter check. The perpetrator went into a building and changed his clothes and removed the bandanna from his face. The description given to the officers in the field is totally different from what he was wearing. Since Sgt. Kramer have been on the job for quite a few years and because he is a good cop, he realizes that it might be the same person because the height matches the description. Sgt. Kramer walks up to the kid and saw that he was acting suspicious and nervous. He placed his hand on the kid’s heart and it was beating extremely fast. They went and got the victim and she identified him; and her bag was recovered in the building.

Last month awards were given out for helping out on Medal Day. The Inspector wanted to give out the awards for the people that weren’t at the last meeting. They were Joe Basso, Mavis Theodore and Evelyn (Baylla) Inman. .

The city is down by one percent in crime and the 70th Precinct is down by six percent. You may see a big police bus on Foster and Flatbush Avenues; we had two shootings there within the last couple of weeks.

7. Open Forum with Inspector Monteforte and Responses.


8. Message from Council Member David Greenfield
In September at a Town Hall Meeting with Commissioner Raymond Kelly, quality of life complaints were raised. As a result of that meeting the police commissioner contacted a local precinct and advised them to spend more time addressing the quality of life issues. He also gave them a directive to crack down on these issues. That led to Officer Verrico who made a routine stop of a vehicle that was honking aggressively at an intersection. Officer Verrico issued a ticket to the driver for the noise violation. However upon writing the ticket he discovered that the driver’s license was suspended. Officer Verrico along with his back up placed the driver under arrest. Also he discovered a hand gun in the driver’s vehicle which was loaded and unregistered. The driver was placed under arrest with felony charges. Councilman Greenfield presented a citation to Officer Frank Verrico for his outstanding work.

9. FDNY Fire Safety Education Unit - Lt. Steve Reisman, Lt. Mike Murray, Rescue Response Team – David Spira, Glen Schneider
Lt. Reisman spoke about fire safety in the home focusing on prevention, early detection, having a plan. He suggested that everyone take literature and read it because it will give you important information. If you have a space heater, make sure it was made within the last five years. He shared many helpful tips on the use of space heaters. Make sure you buy products with UL (underwriter’s laboratory) certification. If you throw out your old space heater cut the cord. Lt. Reisman spoke on the importance of smoke detectors. Test your smoke detector once a month and change the battery every six months. At the end of his lecture FDNY gave out smoke detectors and batteries.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:56 p.m. The next meeting will be on December 15th, 2010.



Respectfully submitted,

Mary McRae
Nathan Thompson